No Matter What
by Snipergal7
Summary: Finally! The last chapter! Tenchi finally has that talk with Ryoko. TR Please RR
1. No Matter What

This is my first attempt in doing an actual fic. I already posted a poem here but it's not the same. Hope you all like it read on.  
  
Disclaimer: It breaks my heart to say this, but none of these characters are mine. They belong to the talented people who created them. Yada, yada, yada.  
  
Now, on with the story.  
  
Title: No Matter What  
  
  
  
Everything was quiet and still in and around the Masaki residence. It always was at this time of the night. There was only one soul awake at this late hour, one lonely soul.  
  
Ryoko lay sprawled on the roof. Her eyes were focused on the dark blanket covered with stars up above in the sky. The moon shone brightly over the mountains making her surroundings look almost magical in the night. Like a fairy tale. But she knew better than to believe that. It would all be too easy if everything were to be that way.  
  
She had tried to sleep that night, but she found no rest. Her troubled mind and soul wouldn't allow her any peace. She could hear her heart screaming for a relief, for the incredible weight it held to be lifted and taken away. Before, she could cope with it, it wasn't that bad. She could hold it. She was a strong person. But now, it was becoming so difficult for her not to scream her head off and fly away. Away from everything that troubled her. From all her problems, all her fears, all her weaknesses. The thought of flying away from it all became more appealing to her with each passing day. Going back to the stars, who where watching over her at this moment. She always felt safe up there with them. That was where she belonged. In space, free, without a care in the universe. She always felt better and comforted when she was up there with them. She always felt as if they knew everything about her, as if they knew what she was going threw.  
  
"You guys were always there for me. As you're here for me now" she said softly to the stars. 'My friends' she thought.  
  
"It's been quite a long time since the last time we met up close. I really miss being up there with you. You always made me feel better. Even in my worst times" And it had. She had gone up there last two years ago. She had felt trapped and alone so she took Ryo-oki and flew away. She had never intended to leave. She just wanted be alone for a while. 'Just a few hours' she had thought. But when she returned to earth that day everyone had been happy and relieved to see me back. 'They had actually thought that I had left for good' she thought bitterly. Even Ayeka had looked a little relieved to see that I wasn't gone.  
  
"Ah. Jackpot. Fear number one: Ayeka" she said to the sky, "Why do I fear her? Well, I'm not really scared of her. I'm more scared of what she might take away from me. I know you understand what I mean. I try not to think about it. I tell myself that I have as good of a chance as she does with him. But deep down in my heart, I know I'm lying to myself. And it hurts me to know that I keep on living everyday believing in a lie that I keep telling myself to believe. The worst part is that I don't really blame her. How could I? It's not her fault that I am the way I am. He always tells me to be more serene and gentle. More like her. But I can't be like that. That's not me, that's not the way I am. If I were to be like her, like Ayeka, then I wouldn't be me, Ryoko. And I want him to love me as Ryoko. Maybe that's why I never stood a chance with him. I just wasn't what he wanted. But still, I let that flame of hope burn instead of turn it off. So this is my entire fault. So how can I blame her? I could never do that. I can only hope that she gives him what he needs and what he wants. I just want him to be happy with his choice."  
  
She phased away from where she was laying and appeared on the other side of the roof, next to Tenchi's room window. She took a look inside a watch him. He looked so peaceful. 'Probably dreaming about his princess' she thought bitterly. She turned and sat on the roof a few feet away from his window. At few tears escaped her eyes as she thought about him.  
  
"Oh Tenchi. My dear Tenchi. If you only knew. You tell me to go away and not bother you. You're always scolding me and telling me off. You always ask me to leave you alone. But how could I? I wish you could understand. That you could feel the pain I feel when I'm not with you. Can't you see that I love you, that I care for you, that I worry about you? But you always push me away. You're the only reason I have to stay here, and yet, you're the reason why I want to leave. I don't want your rejection. It kills me every time that you push me away. Every time you look at me that way that makes me stop dead in my tracks and wish I were dead, you rip a part of my already useless heart off. The only thing that could heal it is your love, and yet you refuse to give me what I need. How can I keep on leaving knowing that you despise me? You don't seem to realize how much I gave up for you. I had the universe at my feet. I could be anywhere I would want to be right now; yet, I'm here, sitting a few feet from your window, longing to be up there and not doing it." She said to night, her voice rising in volume, her heart filled with melancholy and anger.  
  
"How can you be so cruel as to make me stay here to rot and suffer because of you rejection!? Can't you see that you're hurting me? You say you love us all the same; yet you treat me the worst! You say you don't want to hurt anyone; yet you do it by not voicing your feelings! And then you expect me to act as if nothing is wrong! You call me selfish for wanting you for myself; well I call you selfish for not thinking about how much you hurt my feelings by not saying yours. And sometimes, when you act as if nothing is going on, as if a soul isn't been crushed by your refusal to love, it makes me wish I could hate you! Oh how I wish I could hate you! Hate you with all my being! At least that way I would be able to leave! I would be able to go away and be on my own without wishing that I were here to be able to see your face and hear your voice!" her voice dropped in volume. She wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her dress, but that wasn't of much help so she let the salty, wet tears find their own way.  
  
"Would you miss me Tenchi? Would you miss me if I ever left? You wish upon the stars every night for me to come back so that you would be able to see my face, to hear my voice, to feel my presence; like I would if I ever left? Would you cry yourself to sleep every night feeling lonely and deceived; like I would? Would you ever miss me at all? Of course you won't. You will have your princess to fill in the void. You will have the woman you love at your side. You'll be too busy loving her to even remember that I'm gone. And I, I will have nothing. Nothing but a shattered heart, a lonely soul and a dead spirit." She shivered at her own words and at the realization that she, indeed, had nothing, no one to go to. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling completely alone and vulnerable. She lowered her head and sobbed, a small, soft sob that held tons of anguish and pain. It had felt so good to let that one little sob out that she didn't try to fight the wave that followed.  
  
"But no matter what you do or how much I want to hate you" she said, her sobs subsiding, but the tears still coming, "I just can't. I'll never be able to hate you. You mean to mucho to me. And even if you do choose someone else, and even if you did left me alone in the world, I will never hate you. Even though I will be alone, I'll still have my memories of you, and of everything you gave me. You showed me what it was to love. And I will always be eternally grateful to you for that. I will always love you, Tenchi." She said standing up and levitating off the roof.  
  
"No matter what" And with that said, she flew down, on to the soft grass in front of the house and looked up one more time to the stars. She somehow felt better. Her heart felt lighter and her soul less troubled. 'At least it's better than before' she thought giving a mental laugh. A shooting star crossed her field of vision and she smiled knowing that her faithful friends would always be there for her.  
  
"Thanks for listening" she whispered to the night and went inside the house to rest on her rafter.  
  
What she didn't see was the tear streaked face looking out the window that was a few feet from where she had sat a few moments ago, nor she heard the sob that escaped from the person that had been watching her and that had heard her vocalize her feelings. She person silently closed his window and went back to bed. At that moment, a shooting star flew by his window and out into the vast see of darkness of the night sky.  
  
The End (Or is it?)  
  
  
  
What did ya think? This was king of a "spur of the moment thing" so please don't flame me. I hoped you liked it. I'm not sure if I should make another chapter or not so please tell me what do you think.  
  
Bye. XOXO 


	2. No Matter What- Feelings

I'm back and I just want to say Thank You so much for you reviews. I was a little bit worried about my writing since I'm from Puerto Rico and my English isn't the best. But I'm glad ya all liked it. Hope this is of your liking. Now read on!  
  
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine, they belong to their creators, blah, blah, blah….  
  
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No matter what: Feelings  
  
She was having the best dream in a long time. She felt thrilled as she floated, weightlessly, through space. The warm glow of the stars as she passed them gave her a feeling she hadn't felt in a while. She felt at home. Safe. And loved. The stars, her friends, where she belonged. Where she had no worries and no doubts. No fears and no pain. Here, in this vast emptiness of shinning stars was a place where she could be free. Free of everything that troubled her. She could see in the distance a bright star. It grew bigger and warmer as she floated closer to it. It was brighter than all the other stars around it, and it looked inviting. She felt a sudden wave of longing rush through her veins as she extended her arms to grab the bright star but she couldn't reach it. 'I need to get closer' she thought. She felt a little bit unnerved. What could that star be? Why did she want so desperately to reach it and hold on to it? She was about to reach it. 'Yes, that's it. Just a little bit closer'. She felt a rush on her body that ran up from her fingertips, down to her feet and up her spine, reaching her head and making her dizzy as some of the misty light curled on her hand and pulled her closer to its warmth. It felt strange, but good and exciting at the same time. It was confusing. She was feeling so many things. Why? Why was she feeling all of this? What did this bright and warm star represented? As she got deeper into the light, a silhouette became visible. It was strange, yet she felt like she new it. Whoever could that be? As she neared it, it became clearer. She was about to reach it when she felt a sudden pull. She silhouette began to retreat back into the misty light surrounding it as she was pulled back from it, from the warmth, from the brightness. She could hear it call her name. "Ryoko" 'No, don't leave' she thought desperately trying to go forward again instead of backwards. "Ryoko" it called again. 'I'm trying! No!'  
  
"Ryoko!"  
  
"No!" yelled Ryoko as she suddenly jerked up on her rafter. Her eyes were big and teary.  
  
"Sorry Ryoko. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just trying to get you to wake up." said Sasami lowering her head and looking down sad.  
  
Ryoko looked down and saw Sasami look down ashamed. She floated down from her rafter and gave her a gentle hug. "I'm sorry Sasami. You didn't scare me. I've just been a little edgy these past few days. It's really getting to me. You didn't do anything wrong so please, don't be sad," she said softly while lifting the little girl's head to look at her in the eyes.  
  
As fast as lightning, Sasami's expression changed from almost tears to a sunny smile. "Oh well, in that case, breakfast is ready". With that said, she hopped her way to the kitchen, Ryo-oki trailing behind her, hopping in the same manner as her companion.  
  
Ryoko gave a soft laugh at the young princess's antics. Memories from her dream flooded her mind and she sat down on the couch with a thoughtful expression on her sleepy face. What kind of dream was that? It sure was strange. Yet, she had felt so good and so loved when she had reached that shinning star. She had felt warm and protected. As if nothing in the universe could go wrong. Which was really far from the truth. Complete opposites actually. Everything in her life could go wrong. In fact, everything in her life did go wrong. She was always screwing things up and getting everyone into trouble. She was a complete screw up.  
  
'That's not true and you know it' she heard a voice say in her mind.  
  
'Yeah, well, that's what everyone around here thinks' she said, glaring even though her so called mother couldn't see it.  
  
'No they don't. Why don't you go ask them and see for yourself'  
  
'No' she said, standing up from the couch and heading to the kitchen.  
  
'Fine then. Think what you want. But someday, you'll see how right I was. After all, I'm always right' said Washu very matter-of-factly.  
  
'Whatever' said Ryoko uncaringly and closed her end of the link. "Do you need a hand Sasami?" she asked when she saw the little princess balancing big bowls and plates of food on her tiny arms.  
  
"No Ryoko. Thanks. I can handle it" At that moment, a plate she had been balancing on her left arm toppled over, but Ryoko caught it before its contents spilled over. "Well, maybe a little help wouldn't hurt after all" she said while giving a small laugh.  
  
Ryoko took two more plates and headed to the table to place them. At that moment Ayeka, First Princess of Jurai, entered the kitchen. "Well, well, well. Finally decided to make yourself a little more useful I see," she said sarcastically as she sat down.  
  
Ryoko looked at her and shrugged. "I guess I did" she said and then simply sat down without another remark.  
  
Ayeka looked at her a little worried. Ryoko had been acting really strange this past few days. She wasn't her spicy self any more. She hadn't argued with her and didn't even try to reply when she provoked her. She had looked strained also. And very depressed. Ayeka knew something had been bothering her but wasn't sure what. And what had just happened had been in fact a confirmation to her suspicions. She had felt as if something was approaching. She didn't know what. But she knew she wasn't the only one feeling this way. She could see it in Ryoko also. But Ryoko had taken the feeling in a more depressing way than herself. Could Ryoko possibly know what was bound to happen? But if she did, then how? Does she have anything to do with it? She was worried and confused. She was worried for Ryoko and what was bound to come sooner or later. And for what she could see, it was going to be sooner rather than later. Much sooner.  
  
Her line of thoughts was interrupted when two GPs and a miniature genius entered the kitchen followed by two men, a middle age man and a priest.  
  
"Good morning everyone" said Nobiyouki cheerily.  
  
"Good morning" she replied. 'I'll get back to my thoughts later.'  
  
"Morning" answered Ryoko, not paying much attention. She had her elbow on the table and her face in her left hand. She looked very thoughtful.  
  
Everyone sat down at the table, waiting anxiously for Sasami's delicious food.  
  
"Where's Tenchi?" she asked looking around the table to find his empty spot between Ayeka and Ryoko. "Is he still asleep?"  
  
"I guess," answered Nobiyouki, looking a little annoyed at the fact that his son wasn't present so he could start eating.  
  
"Ryoko, could you please go wake him up?" asked the small princess while making a pleading face that she knew worked wonders with the space pirate. "He's more used to seeing you first thing in the morning"  
  
"Uh, what?" said Ryoko, startled out of her reverie by Sasami's question. "What was that? Sorry, I wasn't listening". She looked down sheepishly.  
  
"Could you please go get Tenchi so we can start eating?" repeated Sasami, looking strangely at Ryoko and then at her sister. Ayeka shrugged her shoulders as if to say she had no idea of what had gotten into her rival.  
  
"Oh, sure" said Ryoko faintly as she phased out of existence and appeared in front of Tenchi's bedroom door. She knocked softly, not really wanting to go inside. She had been this way lately. Avoiding him, not wanting to give him the chance to corner her and finally tell her that he had chosen the princess. She knew it was bound to happen. Her mother had told her that things weren't the way she thought. That life was a mystery. Oh, but she knew. She knew how everything would turn out. She had always known.  
  
"Who is it?" came a sleepy reply from inside.  
  
"It's me Tenchi. Sasami asked to come get you for breakfast. Everyone is waiting for you" she responded softly.  
  
She heard a shuffle inside, something being knocked of a table and a muffled 'ohff' before the door flew open and Tenchi appeared in front of her, in all his sleepy glory, rubbing his knee. "Ryoko!?" he asked surprised.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked when she saw the way he was rubbing his knee. "And why are you so surprised to see me" she said in an incredulous voice.  
  
He didn't answer her. He just stood there, not rubbing his knee anymore, looking at her strangely. He had made a promise to himself and to her last night. When he had heard her. When he had seen her on the roof from his window. Crying her soul out for him into the night sky. To the stars, her only source of comfort. He had heard her words and it had hurt him deeply to know that she thought that way.  
  
He hadn't been able to sleep that night. He had been feeling strange for the last couple of days. As if something was about to happen, but he couldn't figure for the life of him what. He had been watching out his window when he saw a shadow appear next to it. He had recognized it immediately and had closed his eyes quickly, pretending to be asleep. When she had disappeared from his window, he had walked up to it and leaned out to be able to see her. He had planned to walk up to her and give her a little company since he knew he wasn't going to rest that night, but when he heard her speak his name, he had frozen where he stood and had listened.  
  
Her words had cut deep into his heart and he had felt so guilty and regretful. He knew she was right and that hurt him most. The way she thought he couldn't see her pain when he himself had been feeling it, not being able to be with her as much as he really wanted. And he did understand, he really did. He just couldn't afford to hurt anyone on his family. They were too important to him. But when he had heard her words, it had been the last straw for him. And when she had said how much she loved, cared and worried about him, he had wanted to scream.  
  
The way she said she wanted to be dead every time he looked at her that way. She thought he despised her, for God's sake! How could she think that!? The thought it's completely absurd, and yet, she believed he did. He was so grateful that she had chosen to stay here with him instead of wander off into a corner of the universe where he would never be able to see her, her beautiful and spirited eyes and her radiant smile, but he had never thought that she might have wanted to wander off into a corner of the universe instead of stay here and wait for him to make up his mind. Which he had already done a long time ago but had been to scare to say anything, afraid that he might hurt his family. She had said she longed to be up there.  
  
That had scared him out of his mind. Did she really want to leave? Would she? At that moment he had been about an inch from going up there, gather her up into his arms and tell her how far off she was from the truth. He had started to climb out his window when he heard her voice suddenly rise in volume and intensity. 'She's angry' he had thought. She had called him cruel and selfish. Unfair. And then, the words that came out of her mouth had destroyed his entire world and had shattered his existence into a big, dull and cold nothing.  
  
'Oh, how I wish I could hate you' she had said. At her words, he had crumpled to the floor, staring out his window, looking stunned and shocked. 'She had wanted to hate me. She had wanted to hate me', he repeated in his mind, like a mantra. Those words, horrible to his ears as they were, had crumpled every resolution he had made to himself. But the emotional assault hadn't stopped there. She kept venting her anger.  
  
'Hate you with all my being! At least that way I would be able to leave! I would be able to go away and live on my own without whishing that I were here to be able to see your face and hear your voice!' That had stopped cold in his mantra. Had she ever tried to leave? Was she going to try now? All his fears of not hurting his family melted and blended together creating a resolution bigger and more important to him than losing his family by voicing his feelings, but to not lose her by not voicing them.  
  
After her tirade, she had calmed down again. She had asked if he would miss her. If he would wish upon the stars every night for her to come back so he would be able to see her face, to hear her voice, to feel her presence. If he would cry himself to sleep every night feeling lonely and deceived. God, if she only knew that he wished upon the stars every night for her, even if she was there with him. That he wished that he would be able see her beautiful, angelic face in the morning, able to hear her seductive and luring voice whisper in his ear how much she loved him, able to feel her presence near him, able to feel her. God, how he wished to feel her. To become one with her. To go to a level of passion and desire with her that it would be impossible to get down from it. To feel her lips on him and all over him as he wished his to be on her. Feel her skin pressed against his as they rocked together, in sync, one and a whole climbing to their peak and falling into the abyss together, never letting go of one another. Being together that way forever. God, he wished it to be that way so badly.  
  
If she only knew how many times he had cried himself to sleep, wanting nothing more than to be able to hold her in his sleep and yet denying himself that pleasure. Good God, she thought he loved Ayeka! She had said that he wouldn't miss her. That he would have the princess to fill in the void that she would leave. How wrong she had been. So wrong.  
  
She had said she would have nothing but a shattered heart, a lonely soul and a dead spirit. God, he had hated himself for making her feel so useless, alone, broken and deceived. But what she spoke after saying those painful words lifted his spirits in a way only she could. She had said that no matter how much she wanted to hate him, he meant too much to her. That even if he chose someone else, even if he left her all alone in the world, she would never hate him. She had said that he had showed her what it was to love and that she would be eternally grateful for that. And she had said that she would always love him, no matter what.  
  
After hearing her last words, he couldn't hold his tears. They had poured out of his eyes like blood from a wound. When he had thought of everything she had said, he couldn't hold the sob that escaped his lips either. He had then silently closed his window and had gotten back into bed, with his new resolution fresh in his mind.  
  
And when he had fallen asleep he had had the strangest dream. He was surrounded by a bright light. It was all around him. He had felt scared, but then a presence had entered the light. He had felt safe and secured then. It was warm and very familiar. He had seen a silhouette appear amidst the light. It had gotten closer to him enabling him to recognize the person it belonged to. It was unmistakable. The way the silhouette's hair flew in spikes in all directions. And the shape of the person he could recognize in the vastness of the universe. It was a body that he desired as much as a man lost in a dessert desired for a drop of water. She had come closer, almost at his reach. But then she had been pulled away from him. He had called her but she had disappeared.  
  
And now, as he stood there just looking at her, his resolution came back full force. The look she was giving him, confused and curious, was priceless to him.  
  
He took her hand gently and pulled her slowly into his room, closing the door after she was inside.  
  
By the look she was giving him, he knew her confusion had tripled. He himself was confused. Where did he get the courage to actually pull a stunt like that with Ryoko? And why wasn't she all over him like she would be in a situation like this? But she had been acting strange lately. If he didn't knew any better he would say she had been avoiding him. But that was impossible. This was Ryoko. 'My Ryoko' he thought.  
  
"Tenchi, what's going on?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her, as always.  
  
He looked at her with a serious; yet gentle expression on his face. "I need to talk with you. In private" he said softly.  
  
"Now? I mean, well, they're waiting for us at the table" she answered trying to change the subject from what she knew, or at least she thought, was to come. 'I knew this day would come. I knew it had to end sometime. Oh, but please Tenchi. Not now, please. I can't take it right now. Please give me time to prepare for you to tell me you chose her. Please' she thought desperately while trying to hold her tears in check.  
  
"Yes, now. They can eat without us. I'm sure Sasami will save some for us," he said sternly. He had to get this done with before it was too late. Before his fear took over. Before he lost her.  
  
'Oh no, please!' she cried mentally. "But I'm hungry!" she whined, trying to convince him to eat breakfast first. 'Maybe then you'll forget what it was you wanted to tell me'  
  
"Well then, go get some and bring it up here" he said. "We'll eat it while we talk"  
  
She looked down sadly. He wasn't going to give up and she knew how persistent he could get. 'Well, it was bound to happen sometime' "No, that's alright. I'll just eat later" she said in a low, sad tone.  
  
"Well, you should go down and tell them we won't be joining them" he said after a moments thought.  
  
"Sure" With that said, she phased out of existence giving Tenchi a few precious moments to gather his thoughts and think of what would be proper to say.  
  
This wasn't going to be easy, especially when the moment came to tell the rest of his family. But he had to do this. He wanted to do this and he was going to do it. God help him, he was.  
  
  
  
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I know, I know! How dare I leave you hanging like that! I'm sorry, but I already blew a fuse writing everything that you just read so I'm taking a break. Now don't worry! I promise I'll have the next chapter up and ready in the blink of an eye. After all, it only took me like two hours to write this second chapter so the third one should be up and ready in no time. In the meantime, be nice and review. And as I said before, please excuse my grammar and writing skills. I'm from Arecibo, Puerto Rico and I'm sure you all know that English is not my main language. So please, don't flame me for my flaws. Stay put!  
  
Bye. XOXO 


	3. No Matter What- Healing

All right!!! Finally!!! I can't believe how long this took me. I'm really sorry it took me this long. For all those of you to whom I promised the third chapter would be up and running in no time, all I have to say is this: I'M SOOOOOO SORRYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have four computers at home and all of them broke down at the same time! I screamed my ears off (not to mention my family's and neighbors' too). I couldn't finish my story!!!! I got them all back yesterday. That sonuva @#%$ who fixed them couldn't have taken longer to fix the damn things!!!!!! Please forgive me. Now on with the story!  
  
Disclaimers: Do I really have to say it!!!!!!! Come on people!!!!! Whatever!! This characters do not belong to me, blah, blah, blah. There! Are you happy now!!! Good!! NOW READ ON, DAMN IT!!!!!!  
  
No Matter What  
  
By: Sniper (such a sweet girl… YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!)  
  
  
  
'I should have known better than to think this would last for long' she thought to herself. After she had announced to the family that Tenchi and herself wouldn't be joining them for breakfast, she had decided to walk back to his room instead of just phasing there wanting to prolong her talk with Tenchi as much as she could. When she had gave the news to the family she had hoped against all hope that Ayeka would protest, that she would refuse to let her stay alone with Tenchi, but she hadn't. She simply nodded in a knowing way. As if she knew what was about to happen and was glad. 'Of course she's glad. I mean; this is all she ever wanted. For Tenchi to finally tell me that he loved her and not me. That he had made his choice and that he wanted me to leave and…' but her thoughts were interrupted by an intruding voice.  
  
'Ryoko, stop saying that to yourself! You know it's not true. He would never do anything like that, even if he chose her' Washu said to her daughter, getting angry by the way Ryoko thought so little of herself. 'You don't even know if he chose. What if he wants to talk to you about something else'.  
  
'How would you know!?" Ryoko yelled mentally, angry with her "mom" for being nosy in her personal affairs.  
  
'I thought it was obvious. After all, I am the number one genius in the universe' Washu replied.  
  
'Damn it Washu!! Stay out of my head!! Leave me the hell alone!!' And with that said (more like thought, but you know what I mean) she shut her end of the link.  
  
She stopped on her way to Tenchi's room and took a deep breath trying to calm herself down. "Damn that Washu" she mumbled. With another deep breath she headed to Tenchi's room and with a slightly shaky hand she opened the door.  
  
  
  
As the door to his room opened silently, he looked up from where he was sitting on his bed only to find a quiet Ryoko enter his room and shut the door. He felt his heart beat faster and his hands started shaking a little. 'Stay calm Tenchi and get yourself together. You are going to do this. And your going to do it now' he told himself.  
  
"Please, sit" he said, gently patting a spot beside him on the bed.  
  
Ryoko seeing this looked at him a little puzzled. "Are you sure you want me to sit with you on your bed" she asked not sure she was seeing right.  
  
He chuckled to himself. 'Well, this must seem pretty strange for her. I'm actually inviting her to my bed' But he quickly became serious again. He had a mission to fulfill. "Yes. It's not like you will try anything. I mean, we do have something very serious to talk about and I'm sure that you know this is no time for games"  
  
"Right Tenchi, right" she answered softly. 'I guess there is no turning back now. He seems very intent on this.' She looked down and silently made her way to his bed to take a seat next to him.  
  
"Ryoko, what I'm about to tell you it's not something easy to say. It's probably the most difficult thing I'll ever have to do, but I really need to do this, for me, for you…" he trailed of, seeing her expression of sheer sadness.  
  
'Here it comes' she thought desperately praying that this was all a nightmare that she was about to wake up from.  
  
"Ryoko, are you all right?" he asked worriedly. He stood up from the bed and knelt in front of her.  
  
She couldn't take it anymore. The way he was looking at her was just too much. She started crying, her sobs deep and heart wrenching. They were sobs that spoke of a broken heart, destroyed by the one that kept it beating. They spoke of a shattered soul, without hope. They told about a dead spirit, without any breath of life left in it. They spoke of Ryoko.  
  
Tenchi's heart wrenched at the sound of her sobs. They sounded so broken. So shattered and dead. How? How is this possible? How can such a beautiful being, so full of life and hope and with an invincible spirit be so destroyed? This was all his fault. He was the one who had broken her heart, shattered her soul and killed her spirit. He had never meant to, but he had. This was all his fault.  
  
He wanted to cry so badly. He felt so guilty and unworthy. He had never wanted to hurt anyone so he had kept his feelings well hidden, but by trying not to hurt the other's feelings, he had destroyed Ryoko.  
  
'It ends now' he thought determinedly. He had to end her pain. He had to give her what she deserved. Even if he didn't think he was good enough for her, if she wanted him, then by God she was going to have him.  
  
He knelt forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, his face looking intently at her. Her sobs stopped, but the tears remained falling. They ran from her beautiful eyes, down her cheeks, onto his own and down his neck.  
  
"Please don't cry, Ryoko," he said softly and pleadingly. "You don't have any reason to"  
  
"Yes I do Tenchi" Her voice was hoarse from her crying. It cut deep within his heart to hear her like this. "I do have a lot to cry for. I have to cry for my heart, for my soul and my spirit. I don't have anything left in my worth living for, Tenchi. I'm like a broken doll. Used and then thrown away when it can't be given any more use"  
  
She slid from the bed, still in his arms, and joined him, kneeling on the floor in front of him. She kept her eyes focused on his, never blinking. She wanted him to see through her eyes what was left, useless, inside of her. She had nothing to offer. She was nothing. Just a big nothing.  
  
"When you came into my life all of that changed. You showed me the light Tenchi. You showed me how to love. What it was to love. And I thank you for that Tenchi. But you also showed that love can hurt you more than a sword. Love is like a fire. It's beautiful, warm and it consumes you and everything around you, but it can also kill you. In a way more than physical" she spoke. Her voice was filled with melancholy.  
  
"I just want you to know, that no matter what happens, I will always love you Tenchi. I will always be thankful for everything that you taught me" she whispered, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his chest, bravely trying to hold back the fresh round of tears that had threatened to spill from her eyes.  
  
He lowered his head to her ear. "I know," he whispered.  
  
She looked up and stared at him intently. His eyes had an intensity to them that she had never seen before. He was letting his feelings out in the open. He wasn't hiding them. And they showed through his eyes. "Wha… What do you mean?" she asked shakily, not knowing what to think.  
  
"I heard you last night. When you were on the roof talking to the stars," he answered, bringing his hand up to wipe a few tears from her shocked face. "And I want to thank you"  
  
"Thank me?" she whispered, still with a shocked expression on her lovely face.  
  
"Yes. You made me realize so many things last night. I hid my feelings so I wouldn't hurt anyone. But by doing so, I hurt you. I got scared when you said that you wanted to leave. And it was then when I decided that not hurting the others wasn't worth loosing the one that I truly loved" he said. A few tears escaped his eyes for what he said next. "It killed me to know that you wanted to hate me for everything that I had put you through. That you thought that I loved Ayeka. That you thought that I wouldn't miss you if you ever left. Ryoko, if that ever happened I would die. I wouldn't be able to live a single day without you" By this point, he was sobbing into her chest. (A VEEEERY NICEEEE one she has. I wish mine were like that. Oh well…)  
  
"I don't want to loose you Ryoko! Please don't leave me! I need you so much! I can't be without you! I love you!" He grabbed her and pressed her tightly against him, now sobbing into her neck.  
  
"You… you love me…?" she repeated faintly, not really believing that she had heard that. 'It's impossible'  
  
He looked up from her neck and stared at her face. He raised his left hand and traced her face with his fingers. Her disbelieving eyes that were staring intently at him, her cute little nose, the rim of her ears, which made a shiver run down her spine that he could clearly feel, her luscious, full and tempting lips, so soft and pink. He gave her a small smile, sweet and full of love. "Yes, I love you. I love Ryoko. The demon, the pirate, the very seductive and crafty fox that gives me a nosebleed every time she's close, the strong independent woman who doesn't take bull from anyone, except me" he said, winking at her playfully at the last part.  
  
"Tenchi!" She punched him softly in the shoulder, which earned her a very amused laugh from him. She looked at his face a cupped it with her hands. "This means so much to me Tenchi. Thank you for loving me. I love you too," she whispered before pressing her lips gently against his.  
  
She gave a surprised yelped when she felt herself been lifted off the floor. She moved her head back a looked straight into the face of a smirking Tenchi. "What the hell do you thing your doing!?" she said, wriggling her legs wildly.  
  
"And I also love the very bad-mouthed and very spicy Ryoko" he said laughing while he dropped her on the bed. He then pinned her to the bed with his arms and legs and looked at her face with an unreadable look.  
  
"What are you thinking of?"  
  
"This…" he trailed of as he leaned down and captured Ryoko's lips in a kiss that said more than words ever could. It was a bonding. A kiss that promised an endless life of love and passion. A commitment for a lifetime. A kiss that sealed their hearts and made them one being. A kiss of pure love.  
  
"I'll always love you Tenchi, forever" whispered Ryoko lovingly into his ears as he started kissing down her neck passionately.  
  
He raised his head to her ear and whispered back before continuing down her neck,  
  
"And I'll always love you too, forever. No matter what"  
  
  
  
God, I know what you must be thinking. I know it's crappy all right. But what did you expect! I'm no Shakespeare! I had a mayor block and this is the best I could come up with. And just in case you're wondering, NOOOO!!! I WILL NOT MAKE THIS A LEMON!!! My friend already asked me too and I gave her the same answer. Well anyway, thanks for all your reviews. They're great. I'm really flattered. Even though I know I'm not that good. So, you know what to do. REVIEW!!!!!! Please??? *makes puppy eyes* Well, se ya! If ya ever come to Puerto Rico, stop by! Oh, another thing! If you liked this story, maybe you'll like my other fic. It's a poem really but it's very cool! My friend loved it! And I also made another chapter for it. The only difference is that on the first chapter, it's from Ryoko's point of view and the second one it's the same poem but from Tenchi's point of view, so check it out!!!!  
  
Bye, XOXO 


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